It is well known that a motor vehicle door includes a sheet metal door inner panel which mounts a rod connected with the door latch so that pulling on the rod will unlatch the door latch. A conventional door also includes a door trim panel for mounting on the inside of the door inner panel to conceal the inner panel. The prior art has also suggested that the door trim panel carry mounting hooks on the lower edge thereof which fit into mating holes in the door inner panel to support the door trim panel on the door in readiness for tilting of the trim panel into overlying relationship with the inner panel.
It would be desirable to provide an improved vehicle door in which the door handle would be preassembled onto the door trim panel and, upon tilting of the trim panel onto the door inner panel, the handle would be reliably connected with the latch operating rod without any required manipulation by the assembly worker.